This film tried very hard to make me not like it, but it wasn't very good at that either.

_Un peuple et son roi_ (_One Nation, One King_) tells the story of the French revolution beginning with the taking of the Bastille and ending with the beheading of Louis XVI.

Despite grossly overestimating how much I care about romance during the French revolution, what the film does well is recount the events with historical accuracy and a fair amount of style (the cinematography is, at times, arresting) with only an occasional detour into melodrama.

What the film does badly is harp on said romance between citizens Françoise (Adèle Haenel, whom I recognized from _120 BPM_) and Basil (the normally handsome Gaspard Ulliel who's likely turned in the ugliest performance of his career here, both literally and figuratively).

Much of the film is told through Basil's perspective but unfortunately Basil is a simpleton portrayed by an actor who looks as though he learnt the lines from the _Lion King_ by accident and is going through the entire film afraid someone will find him out.

As I said, there's a lot not to like about this _One Nation, One King_ but it's better than it deserves to be so that must be worth a recommend.